What Iowans Are Doing to Help Beat the Cold Temperatures

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa winters can be unbearable at times, and there are several things Iowans are doing to make it less painful.

“That’s probably the worst part is the ice. That’s for sure,” Des Moines area resident Brad Johnston said.

Johnston said he wanted to make winter time a little more bearable for his wife and kids so he had a remote starter installed on her car at Ford and Garland. It was originally a Christmas gift.

“With this cold weather, they’re pretty backed up on install dates and I kept pushing it back anyways,” Johnston said.

They’ll now be able to watch the car warm up from the living room window without worrying whether it will still be there when they go to get in.

“The car cannot be driven while it’s running on remote start. You have to take over with the key or with the push to start cars, with your key fob, it has to be in the car in order for the car to drive. So the car can’t be stolen while it’s warming up,” said Joe Munzenmaier, an installation specialist at Ford and Garland.

With frigid temperatures in the forecast, Johnston said there’s nothing better than getting into a warm car.

“I’ve got two kids that she’s got to get ready in the morning. So if she can hit the remote start and get them ready and then it’s warm. I got a two and 5-year-olds so that’ll be helpful for them to get into a warm car,” Johnston said.

After you've gotten to work in your warm car, then it's back out into the elements for some, but those who work and live downtown have migrated to the skywalks.

Some who live in the area not only use it to get places, they also use it for exercise during both extremes of weather.

“Definitely better than being outside. Especially you don’t have to worry so much about slipping and falling on the ice. If you live downtown or you work downtown it’s a godsend,” Des Moines resident Vicky Frank said.

The National Weather Service also has a windchill chart that can help you decide how many layers to wear and how long you should be outside.